Gingerbread House

I didn't use any of the baking soda in the recipe because I didn't want the dough to rise at all when baking.

Scandinavian Gingerbread (Pepparkakstuga)
from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, well packed
2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ cup boiling water
5 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.

2. Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.

3. Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.

4. Preheat the oven to 375'F (190'C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet

Some of us used a syrup to put the building together instead of royal icing.

Simple Syrup:
2 cups sugar

Place in a small saucepan and heat until just boiling and the sugar dissolves. Dredge or brush the edges of the pieces to glue them together. If the syrup crystallizes, remake it

Royal Icing

2 cups icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp meringue powder
3 tbsp warm water

Sift icing sugar and meringue powder together and on medium speed beat in the water for a few minutes.

Decorate with whatever you like and enjoy,
Erna

Cake Balls

A few years ago I discovered this lovely treat and I love to make these every year over the holidays. I was asked to make some treats for our school so that the children had something to munch on after their Christmas concert. This was my first time using lollipop sticks, I love it! And it's so easy to do.

The best part of this recipe is that you can use whatever you want to mix it with. Most recipes will tell you to use your favorite frosting, but I find frosting too sweet usually so I opted to make mine with nutriwhip. I basically used the same ingredients that you would for a Skor Bar Cake, soooooooooooooo yummy.

Cake Balls

1 10x13 chocolate cake, baked and crumbled
1/2 jar butterscotch ice-cream topping
1/2 box nutriwhip, whipped
3 skor bars, crushed
1 cup chopped pecans

Lightly mix the cake and pecans in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir just until mixed. Shape into balls. If you want to use lollipop sticks you would now insert them into the balls. At this point I place all the cake balls onto a lined baking pan and freeze them until firm.

Once frozen dip them into melted dipping chocolate. These are best served cold.

So this is my version of cake balls but if you google them you will find tons of different methods, again most using a frosting of some sort. Experiment and see which ones you like best. e.g. Lemon cake with frosting, Red velvet cake with frosting, carrot cake...

Enjoy!
Tina

Chicken, Potato & Veggie Bake

I got this recipe from Sparkspeople, it's a free weight loss sight! But I have seen very similar recipes all over the web so I'm not sure who the creator is. I do love this recipe and plan to make it often in the New Year. You could easily substitute pork or beef chunks if you don't have chicken in the house. The original recipe said to use asparagus but I didn't have any in the house so I used carrots, you can use whatever you have in the house.

Chicken, Potato & Veggie Bake

2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
5 or 6 medium potatoes, cubed
3 medium carrots, sliced (or an vegetable you want)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tsp dried basil (or fresh)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1.5 Tbsp Olive Oil
Ground pepper to taste
salt to taste
1/2 cup chicken broth
*I also like to add 1 scant TBSP chicken bouillon for extra flavor

Preheat oven to 400 F. Add all ingredients to 10x13 pan and bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes or until done.

Enjoy!
Tina

Cocoa Nut Cookies

I'm sure there could be a better name for these cookies but this is what they are named in my Mother in law's cookbook. I asked for this recipe a few years ago and I love making this recipe during the holidays, once you see the ingredients you'll know why it's only made for special holidays, lol. I love the combination of a soft cake like cookie topped with a marshmallow type filling and finished with white chocolate. It sounds quite time consuming but it's really not that bad. It's also a big recipe, it makes roughly 7 dozen cookies so some of you might want to cut that in half.

Cocoa Nut Cookies
1 cup oil (I use canola)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup chopped pecan nuts
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour

Mix cocoa, hot water and baking soda together, set aside. Beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and cream. Stir in the cocoa mixture, then stir in the flour, salt and nuts. Drop by tsp full and bake for 8-10 minutes or until firm to the touch at 350F. While cookies are baking prepare the gelatin filling.

Gelatin Filling
1 envelope gelatin
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
pinch Cream of Tartar

Mix the gelatin and sugar together in a saucepan. Stir in the water and bring just to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil remove from heat. Allow to cool. Add cream of tartar and whisk on high using your electric mixer until the filling holds it's shape, this can take a while.

Note: If you are using the full cookie recipe you might need to double the gelatin recipe to have enough for all your cookies. It of course, depends on how much filling you add.

Once filling is stiff enough you can start spreading it on your cooled cookies. I use a tablespoon and just spread it around, very easy. Once the gelatin as set I dip them in white milk chocolate. I always stock up on the white Easter bunnies at Easter time, I prefer the taste over the other stuff, and it's cheaper too. I also add some shortening to the chocolate to make it thinner, which makes it easier to dip.

My last tip: To help the gelatin set I always put the un-dipped cookies on my baking pans and straight into the freezer for about an hour. I find the chocolate sets quicker if the cookie is cool and it makes dipping a lot easier. You also want to make sure your chocolate is not too hot. I once read that if you leave the pot on the burner right up until the chocolate is completely melted your chocolate is already too hot. You want to take your pot off the oven while you still have a few small lumps, keep stirring until everything has melted and it should be the perfect temperature!

Enjoy!
Tina

Cauliflower Soup

I made this soup a while ago just never got around to posting it. It tastes really good. I need to make it again very soon. If you go the the Pioneer Woman Cooks website you will find detailed pictures of the soup coming together.

Cauliflower Soup (The Pioneer Woman)

1 stick Butter
½ whole Onion, Finely Diced
1 whole Carrot Finely Diced
1 stalk Celery, Finely Diced
1 whole (to 2 Whole) Cauliflower Heads (roughly Chopped)
2 Tablespoons Fresh Or Dried Parsley (chopped)
2 quarts Low-sodium Chicken Broth Or Stock
6 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Milk
1 cup Half-and-half
2 teaspoons To 4 Teaspoons Salt, To Taste
1 cup (heaping) Sour Cream, Room Temperature

Preparation Instructions
In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half-and-half. Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Spritz Cookies

I was browsing recipes on the web today and came across this one. I had bought a cookie press many years ago and never used it. It was really fun and easy to make. You don't need a cookie press if you don't have one. You can pipe them out of a bag if you like. I had made the cute little box at my sisters class the previous week and thought it would look great with the cookies in it. You can find the tutorial of how to make those here

Spritz Cookies (All Recipes)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, salt, and cinnamon; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and egg yolk; beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Fill a cookie press or pastry bag with dough, and form cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make a dent in the middle of cookies and fill with jam (I used seedless raspberry jam).
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cookies are golden brown on the peaks and on the bottoms. Remove from cookie sheets at once to cool on wire racks.



Happy baking,
Erna

Birthday Cake

My baby turned 2 last week. I can't believe how fast time goes by. I made her a princess cake because she is my little princess...awww. The bottom tier is chocolate cake with chocolate mousse filling and the top tier is apple cake with chocolate mousse as well. Then covered in marshmallow fondant.

Here is the recipe for the fondant.

MMF
1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
2-5 tablespoons water
2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.


Instructions
To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

Place 3/4 of the confectioners' sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn't stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

It's best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.

When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners' sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.